Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 81.2 Current Contentment

"I heard a poem the other day: 'Gather sweet flowers while you may, and not the twig devoid of flowers.'" Princess Imperial of Fuhui advised her, "Gather them, or you will regret it later."

Regret... Shen Shaoguang envisioned herself in old age, with a head full of gray hair, reclining in a chair by the window to enjoy the cool breeze. The laughter and chatter of the maids filled the air, and through the window, the brilliant River of Heaven and the figures of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl could be seen at either end. In that moment, would she suddenly think of the handsome young man she had once met in her youth?

Probably, right?

In the autumn night, under the autumn rain, and before the autumn window, two melancholic souls stared out of their respective windows, lost in their own melancholy.

Shen Shaoguang took a sip of the almond puree, now slightly cooled. "Allow me to fetch a cup of flower essence for you, Princess Imperial. It's made from the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers sent by your mansion a while ago. I steamed some of it, and now, with a bit of honey added and diluted in water, it's quite splendid."

The Princess Imperial of Fuhui finished the last bit of her almond puree in one gulp. "No need, I'll try it another day. It's getting late; I should be going."=

The maids draped a cloak over her shoulders and held an umbrella for her. The carriage, waiting under the awning outside, pulled up to the entrance steps. Princess Imperial of Fuhui climbed into the carriage, lifted the window curtain, and waved to Shen Shaoguang.

Shen Shaoguang watched as the carriage vanished into the night.

…

After returning to her bedroom and reflecting on the Princess Imperial's words, Shen Shaoguang suddenly realized that her logic was not problematic but rather contained some principles of Buddhism.

Thinking about Buddhist principles, Shen Shaoguang recalled the kau chim stick she had drawn at Qinglong Buddhist Temple during the Chinese New Year. The stick bore a gatha written by an unknown monk: "Where the mind finds peace, there it finds its true abode; where the mind journeys, there is the path to follow(心所安者即适者，心所到处即行处)."

"Where the mind finds peace, there it finds its true abode; where the mind journeys, there is the path to follow"... Lying on her bed, Shen Shaoguang muttered the Princess Imperial's words and the gatha, listening to the relentless autumn rain outside. She tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep.

The next day, as Lin Yan left the government repository and rode past the entrance of Shen Indelible on his way home, he saw A’Yuan feeding the wild cats at the entrance. Is she back? 

Lin Yan changed into casual clothes and headed to Shen Indelible Tavern. As soon as he entered, the enticing aroma of fried chestnuts greeted him.

"Just in time, Sir! Try our fried chestnuts," Shen Shaoguang called out with a smile.

Seeing her cheerful expression, Lin Yan couldn't help but smile back. "It already smells appetizing," he replied gently.

Shen Shaoguang placed a small plate of chestnuts before him. Each chestnut was plump and uniformly sized, with a reddish-brown hue and a crack along one side, emitting a rich aroma of caramelized sweetness.

"Sir, what do you think? Do our fried chestnuts differ from those sold outside?" Shen Shaoguang inquired.

Lin Yan nodded in agreement. "Indeed, they have a beautiful shine and are quite vibrant."

Shen Shaoguang smiled proudly. Despite it being her first attempt at making fried chestnuts, she had succeeded splendidly. It was evident that cooking was a natural talent of hers.

"That's because I added enough sugar," Shen Shaoguang explained, sharing her knowledge about fried chestnuts. "You must choose chestnuts of similar size. If they vary too much, the larger ones won’t cook properly while the smaller ones will be overcooked. Also, don’t cut the raw chestnuts in advance, or the chestnut meat will become dry and lose its sheen. If the heat is right, the chestnut skins will naturally crack open. Use a big spatula to turn them frequently, flipping them evenly so the pollen spreads uniformly..." She realized she was rambling and quickly stopped herself with a fake cough. "Only in this way can the heat and sugar be distributed evenly."

At this time, "pollen spreads uniformly" did not have the special meaning it holds in modern palace dramas. Li Bai had once used a similar phrase, so Lin Yan didn't notice Shen Shaoguang's slip, finding her analogy simply interesting. A’Ji always had a witty way of speaking.

As Shen Shaoguang looked at Deputy Magistrate Lin, who was smiling so tenderly, she recalled the words she had written outside her tavern in Qinren Lane: "A feast for the eyes." Indeed, he was a feast for the eyes. For some reason, her mind wandered to the risqué statement she had made when purchasing roosters and the allusion to Tang Seng. To the monstresses, Buddhist Monk Tang must also have been a "feast for the eyes," right?

Deputy Magistrate Lin couldn't keep living like this, but she also couldn't bear to "consume" him...

Despite the dirty thoughts swirling in her mind, Shen Shaoguang maintained a courteous demeanor. "Shall I pour you a cup of tea? Chestnuts are hard to digest."

Lin Yan smiled. "Okay."

He noticed that Miss Shen seemed different today. There was a certain look in her eyes... something that reminded him of the fox he had caught, only for it to escape, years ago.

Shen Shaoguang placed the tea in front of Lin Yan. He asked, "How is the tavern in Qinren Lane faring?"

Shen Shaoguang nodded and smiled, "It's on the right track." After a moment's thought, she added, "I'll just go and occasionally check up on it in the future."

Lin Yan looked at her and arched his eyebrows.

Shen Shaoguang raised her eyebrows in response. Isn't that what you mean? You worry that I'll be tired and want to see me every time you visit...

Lin Yan smiled and said, "Very good."

Very good... Shen Shaoguang hadn't thought of what to say next when she heard Deputy Magistrate Lin continue, "I've noticed some of your paintings are very realistic."

Relieved, Shen Shaoguang picked up Ming Nu and, while petting the cat, began to flaunt her half-baked knowledge of painting. She spoke about proportions, shadows, and the different textures that can be achieved through different brushstrokes and contours.

Lin Yan had originally intended just to have a conversation with her, realizing it had been a long time since they had spoken calmly. Now, he truly listened attentively during their conversation.

Shen Shaoguang's discussion then shifted to the topic of depicting shapes and freehand style.

At the mention of freehand style painting, Shen Shaoguang praised, "The lotus pond folding screen sent by your residence, with just a few strokes, captures a sense of leisure. It truly exemplifies Wang Wei's concept of 'poetry within painting.'"

Lin Yan couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth. A’Ji was certainly charming today.

Seeing his smile, she knew she had guessed correctly. Shen Shaoguang was adept at coaxing people. When she sprinkled a handful of sugar, she always added a pinch of salt. Adding a little spice wasn't such a bad thing after all. She squinted playfully and smiled, "Though I do wonder if this folding screen is a single piece, or a set depicting all four seasons?"

As he looked at her smile, Lin Yan couldn't help but think of the fox once more.

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The author has something to say: 

Yu San, who was wielding the large spatula: Ho, what a lively conversation, almost as if the chestnuts were fried by Miss...

Lin and Shen, immersed in the discussion of art (flirting): Chestnuts and such are hardly the main topic here.

Yu San: ...

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Footnote:

[1] Gather sweet flowers while you may, and not the twig devoid of flowers (有花堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝。) - From the Tang Dynasty poem “The Golden Dress” (金縷衣).  It’s now a proverb meaning ‘Seize the day; carpe diem’. 

Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%8A%B1%E9%96%8B%E5%A0%AA%E6%8A%98%E7%9B%B4%E9%A0%88%E6%8A%98